Lemon Rice

This Lemon rice is a favorite in my home. My hubby loves it, and he prefers to add peanuts instead of the cashew nuts indicated below. We eat it with all kinds of curry's or even on its own with salad. But you can serve it with just about any dish. Try it with a steak or with steamed veggies. Serve alone with raita (salad in a yogurt dressing) or try serving this rice with a fajita or tacos instead of Spanish rice.
LEMON RICE:
Serves 4
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups cooked long grain rice
2 tbsp oil
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp split black gram (optional)
1" piece of ginger, chopped
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
Juice of 2 limes or 2 sprigs of lemon grass (ground to a paste)
3-5 green or red chillis
fresh cilantro
5-10 cashew nuts

Method:
Heat oil in a wok, and add split black gram (if using). When they turn nearly golden, add the mustard seeds. When they start sputtering, add the turmeric powder, ginger, green chillies and cashew nuts. fry a little and then turn off the heat. Add all the rice, and mix well. Add the lime juice and salt, then mix again. Garnish with fresh cilantro.

Authors Note:
Split black gram can be found in most any grocery store or Asian store. You do not need to add this, however, it adds a nice crunch and texture to the Lemon rice. You can add peas, broccoli, cauliflower, asparagus or your own favorite veggies to this rice, and make it a one meal deal.

SHRIMP RISOTTO

My mother is a fabulous cook. She is the type of mother who believes in feeding up her family. She could never eat dinner herself until we were all home, and had finished eating. Even now, when my sisters and I are all grown and married, she still worries about whether we are all eating properly. I feel terrible when I think of all the times that my sisters and I should have been helping her in the kitchen, but thought up all kinds of excuses not to!
Most of the dishes I cook up today - mom taught me to make, but try as I may, they just don't taste as good. There was no such thing as dieting in my mom's home...mom disliked dieting - she preached portion control - which was very difficult to keep to, when confronted with the mouth watering, calorie laden dishes she placed in front of me. Unfortunately for me, I was always struggling with my weight and my more serious diet binges resulted in disapproval and arguments, which led me to sneak out of the house to skip lunch: 'cause I knew that once I sat at the table, all my good intentions would be 'gone with the aroma'... and it would completely blow my diet off track. I had great willpower in those days... these days when I have no one to oppose my dieting, I just can't keep it up... hmmm... that is probably nature's way of punishing me for giving mom all that trouble :)
Shrimp or Prawn Risotto is a particular favorite recipe of mine, and mom would make it often for me and my sister. It is called prawn pulao in India, and is usually served with salad mixed in yogurt called Raita.
It is a classic and needs no accompaniments. Just a little salad, and presto! A meal fit for a queen! And the best thing is, its quick and simple to make. A one pot dish. Try it for yourself:

SHRIMP RISOTTO
Serves 4

Ingredients:

20-15 small shrimp shelled, cleaned and de-veined.
2 cups white basmati rice
4 cups of water or chicken broth
1 large or 2 medium onions, finely chopped
1 large or 2 small tomatoes, chopped (optional)
1 cup peas (optional)

4-5 garlic flakes, chopped
1/2" piece of ginger, chopped
2-3 cloves
1 cinnamon stick
2-3 bay leaves
2-3 whole cardamoms
2-3 pepper pods
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp garam masala
1-2 tsp chilli powder or to taste
2-3 tbsp canola oil
salt to taste
handful of cilantro and roasted cashew nuts to garnish

Method:
Soak the rice for 1/2 an hour. Marinate the shrimp with turmeric and salt and set aside in the refrigerator. In a pan add oil and heat on medium. When well heated, add the cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, pepper and bay leaves. Now add the chopped onions, ginger and garlic and fry for 10 -15 seconds. If using tomatoes, add now and fry for a few minutes. Add the turmeric, chilli and garam masala powders and fry for another 30 seconds. Add water or broth, and cook until the rice is done. fluff with a fork, and cilantro and roasted cashews to garnish if desired.

Authors Note:
You will find that a yogurt Raita is particularly tasty with this dish. Just mix together - finely chopped tomato, cucumber, carrot, beetroot and onion (or any combination of veggies that you like). Add yogurt, a little sugar, and salt to taste, then garnish with chopped cilantro. I find that this dish tastes best when it is served immediately.

CUMIN RICE

Cumin is a flowering plant in the family Apiaceae, native from the east Mediterranean to East India. The English "cumin" derives from the French "cumin", which was borrowed indirectly from Arabic 'Kammūn' via Spanish 'comino' during the Arab rule in Spain in the 15th century.
The spice is native to Arabic-speaking Syria where cumin thrives in its hot and arid lands. Cumin seeds have been found in some ancient Syrian archaeological sites. The word found its way from Syria to neighbouring Turkey and nearby Greece most likely before it found its way to Spain. In Northern India and Nepal, cumin is known as 'jeera' or 'jira', while in Iran and Pakistan it is known as 'zeera'. Cumin is hotter to the taste, lighter in colour, and larger than caraway or the fennel seed - spices that are sometimes confused with it. The seeds come in three colors: amber, white or black. Amber is most widely available, but the black has such a complex flavor it should not be substituted for the other two. Cumin is a popular ingredient in Middle Eastern, Asian, Mediterranean and Mexican cuisines, and is one of the main ingredients in garam masala powder (Also called curry powder in the US).

This recipe is fragrant and tasty. Try serving the rice with a meat curry or chickpea stew!

Cumin Rice:
Serves 2-3

Ingredients:
1 cup basmati rice (wash and drain)

pinch of turmeric (optional)
1.5 cups water
2 tbsp cumin seeds
1/2 minced or thinly sliced onion
1-2 green chillis slit (thai or jalapeno)
1 bay leaf
3 whole cloves
1/2 " whole Cinnamon stick
1 tsp canola or olive oil
8 - 10 cashew nuts
Salt to taste
A handful of Cilantro leaves
lime juice (optional)

Method:
Heat the oil in a saucepan. Add the bay leaf, cloves, cinnamon and cumin seeds, and turmeric (if using) & fry for few seconds. Stir in the onions and green chilli and saute until the onions are transparent.
Add the rice, water and salt, and mix well. After it comes to a boil, cover the saucepan with a lid and cook on low until the rice is done. Fluff the cumin rice with a fork and garnish with roasted cashews and cilantro leaves, and squeeze some lime juice over before serving.

Authors Note:

If you do not want to chew the whole spices while you eat, take them out before you serve the rice. however, keep in mind that they must be fried before the rice is added, so don't try the little muslin bag trick. Serve hot with a curry or meat stew.